Jack Somers, as we have before stated, in loosing sails, belonged upon the mizzen-top-gallant yard, which is the third cross-spar from the deck; and, further, his place was at the starboard yard-arm, which is the end of the spar, on the right-hand side of the ship, looking forward. He was as much interested in the operation as though he had been in command of the ship; for it was the first time he had performed the duty when it really meant something. “Loose!” said Mr. Bankhead; and, at the word, the men “passed the gasket,” which is a rope wound round the sail, to confine it to the yard when furled. “All ready in the mizzen-top!” added the captain of the top, when the operation was performed; and the men stood holding the sails in place upon the yard. The captains of the main-top and of the fore-top indicated, in like manner, that they were all ready for the next order; and, when the lieutenants upon deck had reported the fact to the executive officer, he proceeded with the manœuvre. “Let fall!” and, at the word, all the sails to be set were shaken out at the same moment, and dropped down from the yards. “Overhaul your rigging aloft!” proceeded Mr. Bankhead; and his order, translated into the shore vernacular, meant that the men on the yards were to arrange the sheets, buntlines, clewlines, and other ropes, so that they would work freely, or not impede the progress of the sail when it should be hoisted up. “Man your sheets and halyards!” was the next command. The sheets are the ropes on the topsails, by which they are hauled down to the yards. For example,--the mizzen-top-gallant sail was fastened to the mizzen-top-gallant yard, upon which our hero was stationed. Attached to the lower corners of this sail were two ropes, passing over a sheave, or pulley, in the mizzen-topsail yard. These two ropes were the sheets; and, when the sail is set, they are drawn tight, to keep it in place. All the yards of the ship, except the lower one on each mast, slide up and down. When the sails were loosed, the yards were _down_. The rope attached to the yard, passing over a sheave set in the mast, by which the spar is hoisted up, is called a halyard. Any rope by which a sail is hoisted is called a halyard. When the men appointed for the purpose had taken hold of the sheets and halyards, the various officers reported that they were ready. “Haul well taut!” said Mr. Bankhead. The effect of the execution of this order was to bring everything to its bearings. “Let go, and overhaul your rigging aloft!” continued the first-lieutenant. “Sheet home, and hoist away!” At this order the yards were hoisted up, and the sheets hauled down to their places. The operation was thus completed; the ropes, with a whole vocabulary of cabalistic names to designate them, were belayed and flemished down; and everything was in apple-pie order.